Harvard Business Review Board Member's Handbook

1. Ready to Serve

Are you ready to serve on a governing board? Have you thought through what kind of a board is optimal for you? For many—if not most—directors, joining a board is less for the money or the prestige and more for the engagement and the service. And though they can be a time sink, inside-the-boardroom experiences are of great professional value, more than worth your while, whether paid or unpaid. But before you serve and learn from a boardroom, you have to be invited in. And though you can’t elicit an invitation or control its timing, you can make yourself a more visible and viable candidate.

Competition for a board seat is fierce—especially if you have no prior experience as a director. The process of applying and interviewing ...